Community launches campaign to assist victims of tsunami

by Jan. 31

Various representatives from California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks joined CLU President Luther Luedtke at a Jan. 11 meeting and embraced the goal of launching a voluntary fundraising campaign.

The CLU Tsunami Relief Fund will channel funds to Lutheran World Relief, an organization that provides aid to all those affected by the tsunami, and the Lutheran University of India (LUI), CLU’s new partner institution in Chennai, India.

The chancellor of LUI, Dr. Michael Shyamprasad, who is also executive director of the National Lutheran Health and Medical Board of India, is coordinating a major disaster relief effort in the southeastern coastal region of India, where more than 8,000 people lost their lives and tens of thousands of survivors are struggling to recover and rebuild.

Any level of donation is welcome and appreciated. Given the urgent nature of this need, only checks will be accepted. CLU officials have asked that all checks be received by Mon., Jan. 31.

Checks should be made payable to "Lord of Life Congregation" and designated as "CLU Tsunami Relief Fund" in the memo line of the check (bottom left corner).

Checks can be mailed from off-campus to Lord of Life Congregation, California Lutheran University, 60 W. Olsen Road #3100, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 or on-campus to Lord of Life Congregation, Mail Code #3100.

The IRS will allow taxpayers to claim charitable contributions on their 2004 tax returns for tsunami relief donations made by Jan. 31, and the Lord of Life Congregation will provide receipts for each donation.

For additional information, please call Adina Nack at (805) 493-3438. Nack is chairing the committee to coordinate the fundraising effort.